KATHMANDU, Feb 11: Dalit rights activists have announced a nationwide campaign to deny votes to candidates involved in caste-based discrimination, sending a strong message to political parties ahead of the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) polls scheduled for March 5.
Organizing a press conference on Tuesday, the Dalit-Friendly Election National Campaign declared that individuals accused of practicing untouchability and caste discrimination should not be nominated—and if they are, Dalit voters will withhold their support.
Activists argue that major political parties have repeatedly secured power with Dalit votes but failed to implement constitutional guarantees, particularly Article 40 of the Constitution of Nepal, which ensures Dalit rights.
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“This is a campaign to refrain from voting for individuals, leaders, and even parties accused of caste-based discrimination,” said Dalit expert Sushil BK while presenting the press statement.
JB Bishwokarma, President of the Dalit NGO Federation, said parties have not shown genuine commitment to enforcing constitutional provisions despite benefiting from Dalit support in previous elections. “During our work across 77 districts, we identified candidates who were knowingly nominated despite discriminatory backgrounds. We will not vote for such candidates,” he said, emphasizing that those practicing caste discrimination and untouchability will not receive Dalit votes.
Although political parties often include Dalit-focused commitments in their manifestos, Bishwokarma said implementation has remained weak and inconsistent.
Stating that Dalits make up around 20 percent of the total electorate, the campaign has demanded that their right to vote freely and without fear be ensured. It has called for at least 14 percent representation through both direct and proportional electoral systems and urged parties to prevent misuse of proportional representation seats meant for marginalized communities.
The campaign also accused major parties of minimizing Dalit representation in direct elections and reducing the community to a “vote bank.” It has demanded proportional representation across all state bodies, meaningful Dalit participation in the electoral process, effective implementation of constitutional provisions, and the enactment of an Integrated Dalit Development Act.
Among its other demands are the allocation of direct constituencies for Dalits to ensure fair competition, special initiatives to dismantle discriminatory mindsets, additional budget incentives for municipalities declared free of untouchability, and adequate funding to address poverty and unemployment within the Dalit community in line with Article 40.
The campaign has further called for strengthening the National Dalit Commission, formulating a national strategy for Dalit upliftment as directed by the Supreme Court two years ago, and introducing special policies to address the disproportionate impact of climate change on Dalit communities.
Activists have made it clear: only when these demands are reflected in party manifestos and translated into action will an election truly be considered Dalit-friendly. The campaign is set to roll out across all 77 districts.
